Reviews

Been here a few times and the level of service and quality of food is random. Last attempt to eat here was the worst, sausages were burnt to a crisp and tasted like last weeks but just reheated, gravy would have been better if made with OXO.

Some dishes were cold and we couldn't eat half of them. Needless to say the place left a bad taste in our mouths.

We visited the Royal Oak in Orpington for lunch and were given dirty glasses with smears and lipstick marks on them by Martin, who turned out to be the manager, with our bottle of wine, bought at the bar. I returned them politely asking for replacements and he told me to wait as he was dealing with another customer, which I did, then told me he would bring clean ones over, which he did after a further reminder. No apology. Me, I would have been mortified to have a customer hand back dirty glasses, but for Martin it was water off a duck's back. Perhaps he's become so used to this?

The food was ok although they forgot the parsnips and had to be reminded. There wasn't enough gravy, it was a little dry but hey, we could have asked for more and we didn't.

As the meal went on the noise level rose to unbearable decibels due to tables on each side of us being full of children screaming their heads off. Two of us developed humdingers of a headache so we decided not to stay for pudding or coffee and I went up to the till to ask to pay.

The three waitresses there were preoccupied with other things but finally the blond surly one rang up our bill and told me to go and sit back down as she would bring it over.

I tried to explain that I had a headache because of the children which was why I didn't want to go back and would prefer to pay at the till.

She told me to go and sit back down which I did as there was no option and she finally brought over the bill for all five of us, itemised, but it was the wrong bill for a different table.

We paid (minus tip) then I tried to say that while the food had been quite nice, the child noise was causing headaches and that it might be an idea to create a family friendly area?

"We can't do that," she replied. Well, I don't know why not. But anyway, fair enough. I did point out at that point that there was a notice up on the blackboard signed Martin, saying they wanted guests who had enjoyed their visit to write good reviews, and any who had any complaints to speak to Martin before leaving.

"Well, I'm not the manager," she said.

"Well, yes, but you are the representative of the management aren't you?" I replied.

She then indicated to Martin and called him over with a roll of her eyes, pointing to us 'troublesome' guests.

I tried to explain to Martin about the headaches and the possibility of a family friendly area and maybe a quieter area and he said he couldn't do that. He basically made it quite clear that our comments were only welcome if they were positive and that neither he nor his staff had any time to listen to anyone who had anything to say that might help them improve the business and the experience of their guests.